Family Sponsored

If you have a family member living in regional Australia your relative can sponsor you for a Family Sponsored visa.

Family Sponsored (Subclass 489) visa

The Family Sponsored (Subclass 489) visa is a provisional visa that allows you and your family to live, work and study in regional Australia for four years. After two years in Australia you can apply for a permanent visa.

To be eligible for a Family sponsored visa you or your partner (including same sex) need to:

Be less than 45 years old;

Speak reasonable English (score at least 6 out of 9 on each band of the General IELTS);

Be accredited in an occupation the Medium and Long‑term Strategic Skills List (there are about 180 occupations on this list);

Be sponsored by a family member living in regional Australia; and

Pass the visa points test.

Benefits of permanent residence

With a permanent visa you and your family can live and work in Australia for as long as you want. As a permanent resident you are entitled to work in any occupation in any part of Australia, study at Australian schools and universities, access public hospitals and free health services, buy a house, travel between Australia and your country, sponsor family members to move to Australia, and access the social security system including Child support payments and the new home buyer’s scheme.

After living in Australia for four years you can apply for Australian citizenship and a passport. You will not have to give up your original citizenship but can become a dual citizen of Australia and your country. The entitlements reflect the genuine desire on the part of the Australian Government to open the full benefits of citizenship to those who choose to migrate to Australia.

VisAustralia

To discover whether you are eligible for a Family Sponsored visa we invite you to take VisAustralia’s Migration Assessment Tool or to book a consultation with one of our expert migration agents. The Migration Assessment Tool includes all occupations on the Skilled Occupations List and will accurately calculate your score in the visa points test for the Family Sponsored visa.